Background and Introduction:
Contrary to the past, music festivals have undergone a profound transformation, having their origins as grassroots gatherings immersed in the counterculture. In the beginning, these occurrences were just occasional cultural events, but eventually, they have grown into considerable cultural phenomena, attracting huge global audiences. It is the development that has invited discussions pertaining to the expansive extent of commercialization as relates to the genuineness of such festivals. This research intends to explore the complex processes behind this transformation, focusing on the escalating corporate operations, the application of ticket prices, and the tension between the profit-driven motives and the essence of the collectivism that was used to define these festivals historically.
Throughout the past, music festivals acted as the stage for artistic expression and cultural exploration. To understand this evolution, it is necessary to trace the origins of festivals and to make note of their changing roles in society. From notable trends in attendance statistics to seminal studies in festival sociology and cultural studies, it is all necessary in this context. This will be accompanied by active participation and engagement with the existing academic and cultural discussions that involve the influence of corporations and the changing nature of these festivals (Corciolani 192). This, however, creates a need to explore the impact of commercialization on music festivals’ core authenticity, as this becomes more and more relevant to the current discussions, thus raising the following important questions: “Is there anything left of the initial cultural significance once a music festival becomes extremely commercial? What should be done to preserve the spirit of the communal ethos that once defined these festivals?”
The development of music festivals from expression grounds to profit avenues for the players is a phenomenon with multiple dimensions. The history behind this transformation needs to be understood to grasp this fact, and one of those ways is through the exploration of the historical context, which is the initial role of festivals as cultural exploration spaces. What were once music festivals that were just some expressions of underground culture have now transformed into big cultural powerhouses that appeal globally. The historical pathway involves three steps: recognition of key events, comprehension of the statistics trends in attendance, and individual retrieval through landmark research in festival studies, sociology, and cultural studies (Duale et al. 521). The pivotal festivals that marked the turning point in the cultural narrative being reflected and the shifts in audience participation over time solidify this evolution.
Moreover, immersion in scholarly and cultural discourses is beneficial to developing a detailed perspective. Corporate influence on festivals, the complexity of ticket pricing mechanisms, and the essence of such events in modern culture remain crucial issues in these debates. These discourses signify the struggle between the authentic ethos of festivals and commercial interests shaping their current environment (Griffin et al. 491). Along with the increasing popularity of the festivals and their ability to attract wider audiences, the profound exploration of their historical backgrounds and the ongoing debates should be viewed as important parts of assessing how the two forces (economic and authentic/traditional) influence each other.
II.) Research Question and Related Sub-Questions
Speculative Question
The research topic of how the commercialization of music festivals is driving changes in the group experience for attendees should be explored by investigating the transformation of the collective experience because of the commercialization of music festivals.
Related Sub-Questions
How does corporate sponsorship influence and shape the general environment of music festivals? Examining the degree of involvement of corporations in the environment, values instilled, and cultural identity of festivals is important to recognize the bigger implications of commercialization.
Should one take into consideration the ticket pricing strategies when measuring the authenticity of a festival? Discovering the relationship between economic constrictions, accessibility, and the genuineness of festival content gives an understanding of the role that financial factors play in the formation of audience perception.
How is this clash between individually motivated profit and the general ideals visible in the agenda of festivals? The petty clashes between profit motives and the communal essence of festivals offer a comprehensive view of the subtlety needed to maintain the authenticity of the events.
III.) Case Material – Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC)
The research will particularly focus on the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), which is an electronic dance music festival. The analysis of EDC will provide a specific and detailed lens in order to explore the impact of commercialization on authenticity. Tracing its historical evolution, investigating organizational changes, and exploring leadership shifts, sponsorships, and corporate partnerships will provide insights into how commercialization has shaped the festival’s identity over time. Exploring EDC’s price ticket pricing strategies, consisting of tiered pricing, VIP packages, and exceptional offerings, will offer an in-depth knowledge of the complex link between economic concerns and the perceived authenticity of the festival experience. Scrutinizing EDC’s community engagement projects and branding strategies, such as social media interactions and collaborative efforts with artists, will contribute to a significant knowledge of how commercial influences impact the collective spirit of the competition and the experience of belonging among attendees.
IV.) Potential Theoretical Framework(s)
This research will integrate sociological and psychological insights and reveal the complexities of commercialization and the authenticity of music festivals.
Collective Identity and Ritualization (Sociological Framework)
Key sociological theories inspire the research with a particular emphasis on Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory and Victor Turner’s concept of communitas. Taking Giddens’ duality of structure and Turner’s investigation of liminality as my point of departure, this piece studies how collective identity and ritualization combine in a festive environment. Through examining how commercialization impacts the emergence and development of communal identities within festival communities, which are centered around ritualized behaviors, the research aims to shed light on the disclosures of the concept of authenticity. Giddens’s structuration theory offers a viewing perspective for analyzing the process whereby the individual and the overall social structures simultaneously shape each other, thus contributing to the constant construction of collective identity.
Motivations, Emotional Experiences, and Flow Theory (Psychological Framework)
Thus, the research will be commenced on the basis of prevalent psychological theories, particularly Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory and Self-Determination Theory by Deci and Ryan, analyzing the motivations and emotional experiences of the festival participants. Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory, which is focused on the optimal state of flow and connection, will be applied to reveal the psychological experience of an attendee at a festival. Besides, Deci and Ryan’s Determination Theory, which explores the satisfaction of intrinsic motivations and psychological needs, will be a stepping stone for analyzing how commercialization targets festival goers’ intrinsic motivations, emotional well-being, and flow. This psychological framework aims to decipher the complex relations between individual psychological events and the wider cultural changes that are taking place in the context of the festival.
Work Cited
Corciolani, Matteo. “How do authenticity dramas develop? An analysis of Afterhours fans’ responses to the band’s participation in the Sanremo music festival.” Marketing Theory 14.2 (2014): 185-206.
Duarte, Paulo, José A. Folgado-Fernández, and José M. Hernández-Mogollón. “Measurement of the impact of music festivals on destination image: the case of a woman festival.” Event Management 22.4 (2018): 517-526.
Griffin, Christine, et al. “‘ We achieve the impossible’: Discourses of freedom and escape at music festivals and free parties.” Journal of Consumer Culture 18.4 (2018): 477-496.
Guerra, Paula. “‘From the night and the light, all festivals are golden’: the festivalization of culture in the late modernity.” Redefining art worlds in the late modernity (2016).
Robinson, Roxy. Music festivals and the politics of participation. Routledge, 2016.
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